Use this library to efficiently download and upload data in React Native. The library was inspired by rn-fetch-blob, and is focused strictly on http file transfers.
Install using yarn
yarn add react-native-blob-courier
Or install using npm
npm install react-native-blob-courier
- Android >= 21
- Android Gradle Plugin >= 7
- iOS >= 10
- JDK >= 11
- React Native >= 0.63.x
Note: you may have success with earlier versions of React Native but these are neither tested nor supported.
The library provides both a fluent and a more concise interface. In the examples the concise approach is applied; fluent interface is demonstrated later in this document.
import BlobCourier from 'react-native-blob-courier';
// ...
// Download a file
const request0 = {
filename: '5MB.zip',
method: 'GET',
mimeType: 'application/zip',
url: 'http://ipv4.download.thinkbroadband.com/5MB.zip',
};
const fetchedResult = await BlobCourier.fetchBlob(request0);
console.log(fetchedResult);
// {
// "data": {
// "absoluteFilePath": "/path/to/app/cache/5MB.zip",
// "response": {
// "code":200,
// "headers": {
// "some_header": "some_value",
// ...
// }
// },
// },
// "type":"Unmanaged"
// }
// ...
// Upload a file
const absoluteFilePath = fetchedResult.data.absoluteFilePath;
const request1 = {
absoluteFilePath,
method: 'POST',
mimeType: 'application/zip',
url: 'https://file.io',
};
const uploadResult = await BlobCourier.uploadBlob(request1);
console.log(uploadResult):
// {
// "response": {
// "code": {
// "data": "<some response>",
// "headers": {
// "some_header": "some_value",
// ...
// }
// }
// }
// Multipart file upload
const absoluteFilePath = fetchedResult.data.absoluteFilePath;
const request2 = {
method: 'POST',
parts: {
body: {
payload: 'some_value',
type: 'string',
},
file: {
payload: {
absoluteFilePath,
mimeType: 'application/zip',
},
type: 'file',
},
},
url: 'https://file.io',
};
const multipartUploadResult = await BlobCourier.uploadBlob(request1);
console.log(multipartUploadResult):
// {
// "response": {
// "code": {
// "data": "<some response>",
// "headers": {
// "some_header": "some_value",
// ...
// }
// }
// }
import BlobCourier from 'react-native-blob-courier';
// ...
// Download a file
const request0 = {
// ...
onProgress: ((e: BlobProgressEvent) => {
console.log(e)
// {
// "written": <some_number_of_bytes_written>,
// "total": <some_total_number_of_bytes>
// }
})
};
const fetchedResult = await BlobCourier.fetchBlob(request0);
// ...
// Upload a file
const request1 = {
// ...
onProgress: ((e: BlobProgressEvent) => {
console.log(e)
// {
// "written": <some_number_of_bytes_written>,
// "total": <some_total_number_of_bytes>
// }
})
};
const uploadResult = await BlobCourier.uploadBlob(request1)
// ...
// Set progress updater interval
const request2 = ...
const someResult =
await BlobCourier
.fetchBlob({
...request2,
progressIntervalMilliseconds: 1000,
});
import BlobCourier from 'react-native-blob-courier';
// ...
const request = {
android: {
useDownloadManager: true // <--- set useDownloadManager to "true"
},
filename: '5MB.zip',
method: 'GET',
mimeType: 'application/zip',
url: 'http://ipv4.download.thinkbroadband.com/5MB.zip',
};
const fetchResult = await BlobCourier.fetchBlob(request);
console.log(fetchedResult);
// {
// "data": {
// "result": "SUCCESS",
// "absoluteFilePath": "/path/to/app/cache/5MB.zip"
// },
// "type":"Managed"
// }
Sometimes order of multipart fields matters, and Blob Courier respects the order in which parts are provided. There is a catch though: due to how JavaScript works, when object keys are regular strings they are kept in the order they were added unless the keys are strings containing numbers, e.g.:
Object.keys({
"b": "some_value1",
"c": "some_value2",
"a": "some_value3",
})
// ['b', 'c', 'a']
Object.keys({
"b": "some_value1",
"c": "some_value2",
"a": "some_value3",
"3": "some_value4",
"2": "some_value5",
"1": "some_value6",
});
// ['1', '2', '3', 'b', 'c', 'a']
The way to work around this, is to wrap all keys in a Symbol
, by using Symbol.for
. Do not use Symbol(<value>)
, this will not work, e.g.:
Object.getOwnPropertySymbols({
[Symbol.for("b")]: "some_value1",
[Symbol.for("c")]: "some_value2",
[Symbol.for("a")]: "some_value3",
[Symbol.for("3")]: "some_value4",
[Symbol.for("2")]: "some_value5",
[Symbol.for("1")]: "some_value6",
});
// [Symbol('b'), Symbol('c'), Symbol('a'), Symbol('3'), Symbol('2'), Symbol('1')]
import BlobCourier from 'react-native-blob-courier';
// ...
const abortController = new AbortController();
const { signal } = abortController;
const request0 = {
// ...
signal,
};
try {
BlobCourier.fetchBlob(request0);
abortController.abort();
} catch (e) {
if (e.code === ERROR_CANCELED_EXCEPTION) {
// ...
}
}
// ...
Blob Courier provides a fluent interface, that both protects you from using impossible setting combinations and arguably improves readability.
const req0 = ...
const someResult =
await BlobCourier
.settings({
progressIntervalMilliseconds: 1000,
})
.onProgress((e: BlobProgressEvent) => {
// ...
})
.useDownloadManagerOnAndroid({
description: "Some file description",
enableNotification: true,
title: "Some title"
})
.fetchBlob(req0)
Required
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
filename |
string |
The name the file will have on disk after fetch. |
mimeType |
string |
What is the mime type of the blob being transferred? |
url |
string |
From which url will the blob be fetched? |
Optional
Field | Type | Description | Default |
---|---|---|---|
android |
AndroidSettings |
Settings to be used on Android | { downloadManager: {}, target: 'cache', useDownloadManager: false } |
headers |
{ [key: string]: string } |
Map of headers to send with the request | {} |
ios |
IOSSettings |
Settings to be used on iOS | { target: 'cache' } |
headers |
{ [key: string]: string } |
Map of headers to send with the request | {} |
method |
string |
Representing the HTTP method | GET |
onProgress |
(e: BlobProgressEvent) => void |
Function handling progress updates | () => { } |
signal |
AbortSignal |
Request cancellation manager | null |
Response
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
type |
"Managed" | "Unmanaged" |
Was the blob downloaded through Android Download Manager, or without? |
data |
BlobManagedData | BlobUnmanagedData |
Either managed or HTTP response data |
Alias for:
const someResult =
await BlobCourier
// ...
.uploadParts({
headers,
method,
parts: {
file:
payload: {
absoluteFilePath,
filename,
mimeType,
},
type: 'file',
},
},
returnResponse,
url,
})
Required
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
absoluteFilePath |
string |
Path to the file to be uploaded |
mimeType |
string |
Mime type of the blob being transferred |
url |
string |
Url to upload the blob to |
Optional
Field | Type | Description | Default |
---|---|---|---|
filename |
string |
Map of headers to send with the request | <name part of 'absoluteFilePath'> |
headers |
{ [key: string]: string } |
Map of headers to send with the request | {} |
method |
string |
The HTTP method to be used in the request | "POST" |
multipartName |
string |
Name for the file multipart | "file" |
onProgress |
(e: BlobProgressEvent) => void |
Function handling progress updates | () => { } |
returnResponse |
boolean |
Return the HTTP response body? | false |
signal |
AbortSignal |
Request cancellation manager | null |
Required
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
parts |
{ [key: string]: BlobMultipart } |
The parts to be sent |
url |
string |
Url to upload the blob to |
Optional
Field | Type | Description | Default |
---|---|---|---|
headers |
{ [key: string]: string } |
Map of headers to send with the request | {} |
method |
string |
The HTTP method to be used in the request | "POST" |
onProgress |
(e: BlobProgressEvent) => void |
Function handling progress updates | () => { } |
returnResponse |
boolean |
Return the HTTP response body? | false |
signal |
AbortSignal |
Request cancellation manager | null |
Response
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
response |
BlobUnmanagedHttpResponse |
The HTTP response |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
description? |
string |
Description of the downloaded file |
enableNotification? |
boolean |
Display notification when download completes |
title? |
string |
Title to be displayed with the download |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
downloadManager |
AndroidDownloadManagerSettings |
Settings to be used on download manager |
target |
"cache" | "data" |
Where will the file be stored? |
useDownloadManager |
boolean |
Enable download manager on Android? |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
absoluteFilePath |
string |
The absolute file path to where the file was stored |
result |
"SUCCESS" | "FAILURE" |
Was the request successful or did it fail? |
Required
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
payload |
BlobMultipartFormData | BlobMultipartFormDataFile |
Contains the payload of the part |
type |
"string" | "file" |
What is the type of the payload? |
Type of string | { [key:string] : any }
Required
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
absoluteFilePath |
string |
Path to the file to be uploaded |
mimeType |
string |
Mime type of the blob being transferred |
Optional
Field | Type | Description | Default |
---|---|---|---|
filename |
string |
Map of headers to send with the request | <name part of 'absoluteFilePath'> |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
written |
number |
Number of bytes processed |
total |
number |
Total number of bytes to be processed |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
absoluteFilePath |
string |
The absolute file path to where the file was stored |
response |
BlobUnmanagedHttpResponse |
HTTP response, including headers and status code |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
code |
number |
HTTP status code |
headers |
{ [key: string]: string } |
HTTP response headers |
Field | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
target |
"cache" | "data" |
Where will the file be stored? |
You can find an example of how to use the library in the example directory.
Add the following line to AndroidManifest.xml
.
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" (...)>
+ <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
+ <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
+ <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.DOWNLOAD_WITHOUT_NOTIFICATION" />
(...)
<application (...)>
<activity (...)>
<intent-filter>
(...)
+ <action android:name="android.intent.action.DOWNLOAD_COMPLETE"/>
</intent-filter>
(...)
Grant permissions using the PermissionAndroid API, like so:
const function App = () => {
// ...
React.useEffect(() => {
const requestPermissionAsync = async () => {
try {
await PermissionsAndroid.request(
PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE
);
// ...
} catch (err) {
console.error(err);
}
// ...
};
requestPermissionAsync();
}, []);
// ...
Add to Info.plist
of your app:
<key>NSAllowsArbitraryLoads</key>
<true/>
This library allows you to use the integrated download manager on Android, this option is not available for iOS.
To enable the download manager, simply set the request's useDownloadManager
property of field android
to true
when passing it to fetchBlob
, or call the useDownloadManagerOnAndroid
method when using the fluent interface.
As this library is focussed on transferring files, it only supports storage to the app's cache and data directories. To move files from these app specific directories to other locations on the filesystem, use another library like @react-native-community/cameraroll, e.g.:
import BlobCourier from 'react-native-blob-courier';
import CameraRoll from '@react-native-community/cameraroll';
// ...
const request = {
filename: 'teh_cage640x360.png',
method: 'GET',
mimeType: 'image/png',
url: 'https://www.placecage.com/640/360',
};
const cageResult = await BlobCourier.fetchBlob(request)
const cageLocalPath = cageResult.data.absoluteFilePath
CameraRoll.save(cageLocalPath);
See the contributing guide to learn how to contribute to the repository and the development workflow.
MPL-2.0